But when they walked in, they weren’t surprised to see Mick, suited-up in his long, white, tricked-out coat, was there. And they weren’t even surprised to see Monk Paletti there. And Latoya Brunson, sitting there looking so heavily drugged and worn out that it broke Trina’s heart, wasn’t a surprise either. But Reno and Trina were shocked to see their son in that room too.
“Dom?” Reno was especially floored. “What the fuck you doing here?”
“Why do you think I wanted out of your lockdown?” Dommi responded.
“Because you wanted to get to Jersey so you could get your syndicate in order.”
“You think I gave a damn about getting a syndicate in order after somebody tried to kill my mother? Fuck that! I wasn’t doing anything else until we got some answers.”
Reno and Trina stared at their son. In a way that was remarkable to them, he fit in with Mick and Monk. Somehow he fit right in!
“When I found out this lady that everybody was looking for was from Mississippi,” Dom continued, “and since I was a sheriff in Mississippi, I knew I could find her. I have all kinds of connections in that state. I was determined to find this chick.”
“And he did,” Monk said.
“Where was she?” asked Trina. “In Flowood?”
“She was holed up in a convent in Jackson,” Dom said.
“A convent?” asked Reno. “Her? This straight-up junkie?”
“We caught her alone and had to sedate her to get her ass back here,” said Monk. “She’s no junkie.”
Trina could see the fear in her eyes. She went to her and knelt down. She put her hand on top of Latoya’s hand. “Hey, Toya. Remember me?”
Latoya looked at the woman knelt in front of her. And she nodded. “Yes.”
“Nobody’s gonna hurt you okay? They just need you to tell them what happened that night. That’s it. Okay?”
“Then they’ll let me go?”
“Yes,” Trina promised although she knew nobody in that room would agree to that.
“Dom,” said Reno, “go upstairs.”
Dom frowned. “Why I can’t stay down here?”
“Because I said you can’t. Go upstairs.”
“Pop, I’m in charge of an entire syndicate now. You can’t treat me this way!”
Reno gave Dommi a look he knew too well. And although Dommi was highly upset, his father was still his father. He didn’t love, respect,nor fear, any man more. He left the room.
“You go too, Frankie,” Reno ordered. “I’m still holding your ass personally responsible for my son.”
“Reno, whatta you nuts?” Sal asked. “Monk Paletti’s not one of your children. He’s your equal!”
“I didn’t say he wasn’t. That’s why I want him upstairs guarding my family because I know who he is. But I’m still holding him personally responsible for Dommi. He said he would and I’m holding him to it.”
“But there’s a way you talk to people, you moron,” said Sal.
But Monk smiled. “No worries, Sal Luca. I can handle Reno.” But Monk Paletti always picked his fights very carefully. And arguing with Reno the way Sal did on the regular was never something he was going to do. He wasn’t all up in that familylike that and wasn’t ever going to be. He left and headed for the penthouse too.
After Dom and Monk left, Latoya told them everything that happened with the same information Trina had told them. But they were all certain that she knew more.
“Why would you ask Trina to come out there in the boonies like that when you knew it was dangerous?” Reno asked Latoya. “She thought you was her friend.”
“I was. But he made me do it. These were vicious people.”
